Dental articulator

ABSTRACT

A dental articulator is disclosed which simulates the operation of human jaws for use in the manufacture of false teeth. An upper frame representing the upper jaw is mounted to a lower frame by a pair of ball and socket joints which may be adjusted to approximate a specific patient&#39;&#39;s jaw hinge. Each socket has three sides. Relative motion of the ball is allowed along two sides of the socket and away from the third side. The third side provides a reference position corresponding to the fully closed, occludent position of the upper and lower jaws. The two sides which determine the direction of allowed motion of the ball relative to the socket may be adjusted independently as to azimuth and elevation without disturbing the fixed reference position. Further, a lock arrangement is provided which locks each ball in the fixed reference position while allowing rotation of the upper frame and sockets about that position.

United States Patent Swanson Sept. 16, 1975 DENTAL ARTICULATOR PrimaryExaminer-Louis G. Mancene [76] Inventor: Kenneth H. Swanson, 60 W. OlsonAssistant Examiner 1 Lever Rd., Thousand Oaks, Calif. 91360 AttorneyAgent, & Lyon [22] Filed: June 1, 1973 [52] US. Cl 32/32; 32/32 [51]Int. Cl. A6lc 17/04 [58] Field of Search 32/32 [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 3,159,915 12/1964 Beu et a1 32/32 3,160,95512/1964 De Pietro 32/32 3,343,264 9/1967 Guichet 32/32 3,350,782 11/1967Guichet 32/32 3,387,369 6/1968 Swanson 32/32 3,478,431 11/1969 DePietro. 32/32 3,590,487 7/1971 Guichet 32/32 3,636,634 l/l972 De Pietro32/32 3,769,708 ll/l973 Guichet 32/32 5 7 ABSTRACT A dental articulatoris disclosed which simulates the operation of human jaws for use in themanufacture of false teeth. An upper frame representing the upper jaw ismounted to a lower frame by a pair of ball and socket joints which maybe adjusted to approximate a specific patients jaw hinge. Each sockethas three sides. Relative motion of the ball is allowed along two sidesof the socket and away from the third side. The third side provides areference position corresponding to the fully closed, occludent positionof the upper and lower jaws. The two sides which determine the directionof allowed motion of the ball relative to the socket may be adjustedindependently as to azimuth and elevation without disturbing the fixedreference position. Further, a lock arrangement is provided which lockseach ball in the fixed reference position while allowing rotation of theupper frame and sockets about that position.

12 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEU I BIBYS 3,905,112

SHEET 1 OF 3 DENTAL ARTICULATOR This invention relates to dentalarticulators. More specifically, this invention is directed to improvedmeans for joining the upper and lower portions of an articulator.

Dental articulators are used to simulate the jaw and hinge mechanism ofhumans for use in the manufacture of false teeth and thereby provide aproper arrangement of the teeth according to a humans particular bite.To accomplish this, upper and lower frame units are generally employedto simulate the upper and lower jaws. Further, condyle ball and socketarrangements are employed in a great many of these devices whichcorrespond to the actual jaw hinges of humans. Such a device is shown inmy US. Pat. No. 3,206,852. To facilitate the description of the presentinvention, and to promote an understanding of articulators in general,my aforementioned patent is to be referenced for the presentdescription. However, it will readily appear and be understood by thoseskilled in the art that the present invention can be incorporated withvarious other articulators.

The condyle ball and socket joints employed in dental articulatorsgenerally provide for significant lateral displacement to better reflectactual jaw movements. Consequently, the joints are not interlocking andwill not support the upper frame when it is rotated to disen gage thefalse teeth mounted on the articulator. As a result, it has been founduseful to provide a secondary mechanism for holding the upper frame onthe lower frame when the upper frame is pivoted from the engagementposition. Further, the permitted relative lateral displacement of thecondyle ball and sockets creates a second operational closed, occludentposition when efforts are made to work on the subject teeth with boththe upper and lower portions engaged.

An object of the present invention is to provide a positive constraintbetween the upper and lower portions of a dental articulator, both tokeep the two frames together when the upper frame is pivoted from theoccludent position and to prevent relative lateral dis placement of oneframe relative to the other while in the occludent position. Springloaded hooks pivotally mounted to the upper frame are provided whichengage the condyle balls of the lower frame. These hooks lock thesockets to the condyle balls in the occludent position whilesimultaneously allowing rotation of the upper frame about an axispassing through the center of each condyle ball. The hooks therebyprevent relative displacement or separation of the frames.

To adequately simulate a specific individuals jaw mechanism, adjustmentsto the condyle ball and socket arrangements must be made. To achievethese results, various devices have been employed. However, adjustmentsto these devices often cannot be accomplished in a manner whichpreserves a fixed occludent position of the condyle balls in each socketand at the same time allows for independent determination of the socketorientation relative to the upper frame. Thus the adjustments aredifficult to accomplish and do not provide for easy transfer ofmeasurements from the patient to the articulator.

Further objects of the present invention are to provide fixed occludentpositions independent of the orientation of each socket and to allow forindependent adjustments of the socket orientation relative to the upperframe.

The present invention provides a socket to be employed with a condyleball which maintains at all times a reference position fixed relative tothe upper frame.

'At the same time, means are provided for mounting the socket about twoperpendicular axes. The axes permit two independent degrees of freedomfor orientation of the socket and yet are arranged to preserve the fixedreference position at all times. Further, the fixed reference positionis coincident with the occludent position of the condyle ball in thesocket.

Thus, a dental articulator joint is provided which is capable of beingpivotally locked in the occludent position and which allows for simpleand convenient adjustment of the socket orientation to approximate thepatients jaw hinge structure. Further objects and advantages will becomereadily apparent hereinafter.

DRAWINGS: IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top view of the dental articulatorillustrating the upper frame and the locations of the left andright-hand hinge assemblies. 1

FIG. 2 is a side view of the dental articulator illustrating the upperand lower frames in the normal occludent position.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1illustrating the locking member is place and showing the unlockedposition of the locking member in phantom.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2illustrating the left-hand condyle and socket as viewed from the frontof the articulator.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 1illustrating the placement of the ball in the socket in the occludentposition.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 4illustrating a bottom view of the left-handsocket with the ball in theoccludent position.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken-along line 33 of FIG. 1illustrating a second locking mechanism in place. The unlocked positionof the locking member i shown in phantom.

FIG. 8 is 'a cross-sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 2illustrating the second locking mechanism embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 8illustrating a bottom view of the second embodiment of the lockingmechanism.

Turning now to the drawings, a dental articulator generally designated10 is shown as basically comprising an upper frame 12 and a lower frame14. Cast model teeth (not shown) are mounted between the upper frame 12and lower frame 14 on mounts l6 and 18. Incisal pin guide 20 ispositioned to stop the frames at the point where the cast model teethmeet. Mating hole 22 is provided to receive incisal pin guide 20.Provision is made for altering the operative makeup of pin guide 20,using a conventional interlocking slide clamp 24. Knob 26 is threadedand cooperates with clamp 24 to lock the device. Knob 30 is alsoprovided to allow lateral adjustment of the pin guide 20. Knob 30 isthreaded into the slide clamp 24 which when tightened becomes fixed toupper frame member 12.

The upper frame member 12 is supported in the back on two condyle posts32. These posts are mounted to the lower frame member 14 and can bemoved laterally by releasing knobs 35. In the way, each condyle post 32may be positioned from the center of the articulator a distanceapproximately equal to the distance of each hinge from the center of thepatients jaw. Located at the end of each condyle post 32 and rigidlyfixed thereto are condyle balls 36. These condyle balls 36 are sphericaland have pins 38 extending laterally outward and centered on an axispassing through the center of both condyle balls 36. Pins 38 are usedfor making the original adjustment of the position of the condyle posts32 as procedurally described in the aforementioned Swanson patent. US.Pat. No. 3,206,852. The condyle posts 32 are designed to attach to thecondyle balls 36 at a position offset toward the front .of thearticulator 10. Thisoffset attachment is employed to avoid interferenceof the condyle post 32 with the upper frame l2 of the articulator whenthe frame 12 is rotated from the occludent position.

Each condyle ball 36 supports the upper frame 12 in a socket which isprovided functionally with three sides. The condyle ball and socketarrangement form means for joining the upper and lower frames of thearticulator. These joints are identical except that one is right handedand the other is left handed. Consequently, only the left-hand ball andsocket joint as illustrated in FIGS. 3 through 9 will be described indetail. In the occludent position the mounting base 42 provides theposterior wall of the socket. The swivel mount 62 plus the angle member40 provide the top wall of the socket, and member 40 provides thelateral wall. The angle member 40 is adjustable to allow a more accuratesimulation of the various different patients jaw mechanisms. Themounting base 42 is held fixed to the upper frame 12 by an extension 44which protrudes upward into a slot 46. Extension 44 has a hole 48 toaccommodate the threaded end 50 of a knob 52. Knob 52 may be tightenedto draw the mounting base 42 against the upper frame member 12 torigidly fix it in position over the condyle ball 36. A ridge 54 extendsupward from the mounting base 42 along the back of frame member 12 toinsure proper orientation of the mounting base 42 with respect to theframe member 12 and allow convenient reading of this position on scale55. By insuring the positioning of the mounting base 42 on the upperframe 12 using the ridge 54 and knob 52, the socket assembly will bereferenced to a plane parallel with the under surface or plane of theupper frame member 12. When the articulator is assembled and the condyleballs are in place in the mounting base as thus positioned, it willreflect the proper position for the upper set of cast model teeth to bemounted on the mount 16 on the upper frame member 12. In practice thecast model teeth are actually supported in proper position relative tothe socket by relating them to the pins 38 on the two condyle ballswhich are in turn supported by the lower frame 14. Thus the properspacial orientation and relationship is achieved among the cast modelteeth, the upper frame 12, lower frame 14, mounting bases 42,swivelmounts 62, angle members 40 and condyle balls 36 in this theoccludent position.

Means are provided for effecting a first degree of freedom for thesocket about an axis normal to the plane of the upper frame member 12.Onedevice for providing this degree of freedom includes a hole 56located in the mounting base 42, a pin 58 located on hole 56, and aswivel mount 62 which is allowed to pivot about pin 58. The swivel mount62 is caused to pivot about an axis coincident with an axis which passesthrough the center of the condyle balls 36 when it is in the occludentposition. This coincident relationship is achieved by having the pin 58located at a normal distance from the surface 60 of the mounting base 42which is equal to the radius of the condyle ball 36. The center line ofhole 56 is normal to the mounting base 42 to cause the swivel mount 62to pivot in the plane of the upper frame member 12. Reference mark 63 ispositioned on the mounting base 42 at a convenient point. Markings arethen placed on the swivel mount 62 as shown in FIG. 4. Conveniently, thezero mark will be located with the swivel-mount 62 oriented so that theangle member 40 is positioned along a line perpendicular to a centerline passing through both condyle balls 36. The remaining marks thenindicate the degree of rotation of the swivel mount 62 relative to themounting base 42 from the zero position.

Swivel mount 62 is held against mounting base 42 be set screw 64 andslot 66. The body of the swivel mount 62 is designed to fit into slot 66with sufficient tolerance to allow free pivotal movement about pin 58.Set screw 64 is threaded into mounting base 42 and rides in slot 68located on swivel mount 62. The slot 68 is slightly smaller than thecollar 70 on set screw 64. By tightening set screw 64 into mounting base42, the swivel mount 62 is restrained from rotating about pin 58. Swivelmount 62 has surface 71 which provides a bearing surface for condyleball 36 when it is in the occludent position and this surface may beflat or slightly inclined. Slot 72 is provided to accommodate anglemember 40.

Means are provided for effecting a second degree of freedom for thesocket about an axis parallel to the plane of the upper frame member 12.To accomplish this, a mounting plate 74 is extended vertically fromswivel mount 62.

A swivel 76 is located in mounting plate 74 so that the center line ofswivel 76 passes through the center of condyle ball 36 when it is in theoccludent position. This is accomplished by having the center line ofswivel 76 located at a normal distance from surface 71 equal to theradius of the condyle ball 36. Swivel 76 is held in place by washer 78and set screw 80. Swivel 76 is also pivotally located through anglemember 40. A swivel head 82 is positioned in a countersunk portion ofangle 40 to make the swivel flush with the vertical inner surface 84 ofthe angle member 40. Vertical surface 84 is perpendicular to surface 86of the angle member 40 and is located at a normal distance from thecenter line of pin 58 equal to the radius of condyle ball 36. The normaldistance from surface 86 to the center line'of swivel 76 is also equalto the radius of the condyle ball 36.

Thus, a second axis is provided which is mounted on the first axis aboutwhich the swivel mount 62 pivots. This second axis allows depressions ofthe angle member 40 from the plane of the upper frame member 12. Theangle through which angle member 40 is depressed may be measured bymarking a convenient point 87 on the angle member 40. A scale indicatingdegrees of depression as shown in FIG. 4 may then be placed on themounting plate 74. The orientation of the soclet as provided by theangle member 40 may then be easily determined by referencing markers 63and 87.

The condyle ball 36 in its most rearward or occludent position touchesthe mounting base 42 on surface 60, the swivel mount 62 on surface 71,the angle member 40 on surface 86 and the swivel 76 on head 82 which isflush with surface 84. These contacts define the occludent position ofeach condyle ball in its socket. Because of the orientation of the axesthrough pin 58 and swivel 76, displacement of angle member 40 does noteffect this occludent position. Further, pin 58 is located perpendicularto the plane of the mounting bracket 74 which allows a rotation ofswivel mount 62 without affecting the vertical disposition of the anglemember 40. Also, the sockets for the two condyle balls 36 are thereverse of each other in order that surfaces 84 are each interior of thecondyle balls 36. The interior orientation of these surfaces 84 acts toprevent slide movement of the upper frame 12 on the condyle balls 36. Asa result, a condyle ball and socket arrangement is provided whichpresents an occludent position and at the same time allows two degreesof freedom for orientation of the socket about that fixed occludentposition.

To lock the upper frame member 12 in the occludent position on the lowerframe member 14, means are provided on the upper frame member 12 whichengage pins 38 and allow only rotation of the upper frame member 12 andsocket on the condyle balls 36. One device for accomplishing thisfunction includes two locks 88 which are pivoted about screws 90. Eachscrew 90 is fixed into base mount 42 and is located behind both surfaces60 and 71 in order that condyle balls 36 will be held against surfaces60 and 71. Spring 92 is also located on screw 90 and acts to bias lock88 against pin 38. Each lock 88 has a notch 94 for accommodating pin 38.Notch 94 has an outer locking surface which is approximatelyperpendicular to a line drawn through the centers of screw 90 and pin38. This prevents a component of force which would cause lock 88 torotate into an unlocked position. Locks 88 thus prevent the upper frame12 from moving relative to the lower frame 14 in a manner which wouldcause angle member 40 to slide over condyle ball 36. However, upperframe 12 is allowed to rotate about a center line coincident with thecenter lines of pins 38.

When the upper frame 12 is rotated from the engagement position, eachmounting base 42 will come into contact with condyle posts 32 onsurfaces 96 and 98. A spring 100 is provided on post 102 and actsagainst upper frame 12 to lessen the impact of mounting base 42 oncondyle posts 32 when the frame 12 is rotated from engagement. When itis desired to move the upper frame 12 into other positions where one orthe other condyle balls 36 are not in contact with surface 60 ofmounting 42, locks 88 can be pivoted from engagement with pins 36 bydepressing lever 104 as shown in phantom in FIG. 3.

An alternate embodiment of the locking mechanism is illustrated in FIGS.7 through 9. Two locks 106 are provided to lock the upper frame member14 in the occludent position. One lock 106 cooperates with each pin 38to fix the condyle balls 36 in their respective sockets. Each lock 106is pivotally mounted to the mounting base 42 by a screw 108 and isspring loaded to rotate from engagement with the pin 38 by spring 1 10.The lock 106 includes a locking surface 1 12 which receives the pin 38.The locking surface 112 is angled with respect to the surface 71 inorder that the upper frame 12 cannot move backward on the lower frame14. The upper frame 12 is alsoprecluded from moving forward by theinterference of the condyle ball 36 with the surface 60. Because thecondyle ball is constrained to remain in the socket by the lock 106, theupper frame 12 can be rotated about the axis of the pins 38 to gainaccess to the teeth.

The lock 106 may be locked by means of knurled screw 114 which isthreaded into the mounting base 42. The knurled screw 114 cooperateswith slot 116 located on the lock 106 to fix the position on the lock106. One side of the slot 116 excludes upward along the side of themounting base 42 to form an extended end 118 of the'lock 106. A scale120 is provided on the mounting base 42 so that it may be adjacent theextended end 118. The scale may be established to reference the positionof the lock 106 by means of a scribe mark or the end surface 122 of theextended end 118. The scale 120 may be established to provide indicationof intermediate positions of the lock 106. By positioning the lock 106in intermediate positions relative to the mounting base 42, lateralmovement of the upper frame relative to the lower frame 14 may beallowed. Each mark in the scale 120 may therefore represent onemillimeter of relative lateral movement of the upper and lower frames.Naturally, the relationship of the scale 120 to the lateral movementwill vary with changes in the orientation of the sockets.

When it is desired that the upper frame 12 and the lower frame 14 beseparated, the knurled screw 114 is released. This allows the lock 106to disengage from the pin 38 and come to rest against the upper frame12. The spring 110 is wound about the mounting screw 108. A first end124 of the spring 110 is positioned in hole 126 located in the lock 106.A second end 128 of the spring 110 extends outward from the screw 108 tointerfere with the upper frame 12. Thus, the spring can be made to forcethe lock 106 away from the condyle pin 38 to allow easy removal of theupper frame 12.

Thus, the dental articulator comtemplated by this invention provides foran easy and simple means for retaining the upper frame 12 in a fixedpivotal relationship with the lower frame 14 using locks 88. Further,the dental articulator herein described provides a flexible, easilyoperated condyle ball and socket arrangement which provides a fixed basepoint or occludent position for the condyle ball 36 to rest relative tothe upper frame 12 defined by surfaces and 71 and swivel head 82.

Having fully described the invention as set forth in a preferredembodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited tosaid embodiment, but rather is of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A dental articulator comprising:

a lower frame;

an upper frame;

a pair of condyle means positioned on said lower frame;

a pair of socket means for receiving each of said condyle meansrespectively, each of said socket means having three functional sidessaid first side being slidably mounted to said upper frame; means forconstraining said first side to remain in a plane coextensive with theplane of said first functional side associated with the second of saidpair of socket means, said second and said third functional sides beingmutually perpendicular; means for constraining said second and thirdfunctional sides to pivot relative to said upper frame about a firstaxis which is perpendicular to the plane of said upper frame and about asecond axis which pivots about the first axis with said second and saidthird sides of which is perpendicular to the first axis, each of saidsets of three functional sides further defining an occludent positionfixed relative to said upper frame for said condyle means.

2. The device is claim 1, wherein said dental articulator furthercomprises:

means for selectively constraining said upper frame to pivot about thefixed occludent position.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said constraining means includes:

pins rigidly fixed to said condyle means, the center line of said pinsbeing coincident with a center line passing through the occludentposition associated with each socket means; and

two locking members pivotally mounted to said upper frame, said lockingmembers including engaging means :for pivotally locking said upper frameto said pins.

4.. A dental articulator comprising:

a lower frame;

an upper frame;

a pair of condyle means positioned on said lower .frame;

a pair of socket means for receiving each of said condyle meansrespectively, each of said socket means being defined by threefunctional sides, said first side being slidably mounted to said upperframe and being constrained to reamin in a plane coextensive with theplane of said first functional side associated with the second of saidpair of socket means,.said second and said third functional sides beingmutually perpendicular and being constrained to pivot relative to saidupper frame about a first axis which is perpendicular to the plane ofsaid upper frame and about a second axis which pivots about the firstaxis with said second and said third sides and which is perpendicular tothe first axis, each of said sets of three functional sides furtherdefining an occludent position fixed relative to said upper frame forsaid condyle means wherein each of said socket means includes;

aback member slidably mounted on said upper frame, said back memberhaving said first functional side;

an angle member having said second and said third functional sides; and

means for orienting said angle member with respect to said upper frame,said orientation means including a pivotal mount, said pivotal mountbeing pivotally located on said back member and having an access normalto the plane of the upper frame, a shaft, said shaft being fixed to saidpivotal mount and having a center line which is perpendicular to andintersects the access of said pivotal mount, said angle member beingpivotally mounted to said shaft.

5. A dental articulator comprising;

a lower frame,

an upper frame,

means for joining said upper frame and said lower frame whereby a fixedoccludent position is provided between said upper frame and said lowerframe, means for selectively altering the orientation of said joiningmeans to permit relative displacements of said upper frame on said lowerframe about two axes, the first of said axis being perpendicular to theplane of said upper frame, and the second of said axes beingperpendicular to said first axis, without disturbing the fixed occludentposition, and means for selectively constraining said upper frame topivot about the fixed occludent position.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said constraining means includes:

pins rigidly fixed to said lower frame, said pins being centered on acenter line passing through both joining means, and

two locking members pivotally mounted to said upper frame, said lockingmembers being pivotally lockable to said pins.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein said means forjoining said upper frameand said lower frame include a pair of condyle means and a pair ofsockets, each of said sockets being positioned to accept one of saidcondyle means respectively, and including a back member fixed to saidframe and an angle member attached to said back member by saidorientation means.

8. A dental articulator comprising;

a lower frame,

an upper frame,

a means for joining said upper frame and said lower frame, whereby afixed occludent position is provided between said upper frame and saidlower frame,

a means for selectively altering the orientation of said joining meansto permit relative displacements of said upper frame on said lower framein a range of directions without disturbing the fixed occludentposition, and

means for selectively constraining said upper frame to pivot aboutoccludent position, wherein said orientation means includes;

a pair of pivotal mounts located on said back member and having a pairof first axes normal to the plane of said upper frame, and

a pair of swivels located on said first pivotal mounts respectively, andhaving second axes perpendicular to said pivotal mounts respectively,each of said angle members being pivotally mounted to one of saidswivels respectively.

9. A dental articulator having a lower frame,

an upper frame,

and means for joining the upper and lower frames whereby a fixedoccludent position is provided between the upper and lower frames,wherein the improvement comprises:

means for selectively altering the orientation of each socket to permitrelative displacement of the upper frame on the lower frame about twoaxes, the first of said axes being perpendicular to the plane of saidupper frame, and the second of said axes being perpendicular to saidfirst axes, without disturbing the fixed occludent position, and

means for selectively constraining the upper frame to pivot about thefixed occludent position.

10. A dental articulator comprising:

a lower frame,

an upper frame,

a pair of spherical condyle balls mounted to said lower frame,

a pair of pins. each one of said pair of pins being rigidly fixed tosaid spherical condyle balls respectively, said pins being oriented tohave center lines coincident with a line passing through the centersspherical condyle ball when said spherical condyle a pair of socketscapable of receiving said condyle balls; said sockets being left andright handed respectively, each of said sockets comprising, a mountingbase, said mounting base having a first frame, each One Of Said, hooksng associated surface to receive said condyle ball, a swivel with orlleSaid P respectively to Selectively mount, said swivel mount beingpivotally mounted eons'tl'amhsald :Pg frame to rotate a out l to saidmounting base about a first axis which is Passmg t mug t e centers ofSam Sp enca parallel to said first surface, said swivel mount hav- 7 agzi'i r o s i cki g mounted on said upper frame to C0 10 ing a secondsurface to receive said condyle ball, an

an le member,- said an le member bein ivotall operaFe with saidsPherical condyle n Said Sock' mo unted to said swivel moun't about asic nd axi: zs zgli jg :23: gg siiii ggx ggz35: Z: perpendicular to saidfirst axis, said angle member said frame Said iackglnember having aSurface having a third and fourth surface to receive said which receivessaid condyle ball, a swivel mount condy 1e balhtsald' first q i thud ifourth pivotally mounted to said back member and having Surfaces forminga fixed posmon for sand condy 1C a first axis normal to the plane ofSaid pp frame, ball irrespect ve of the positions of said swivel amounting plate fixed to said swivel mount and mount angle member aboutthe first and perpendicular thereto, an angle member pivotally se'condfixej to Said m ouming plate about a Second axis a pair of pins, eachone of said pins being rigidly fixed perpendicular to the first axis,said angle member to one of said Fondyle balls; and having two interiorsurfaces for receiving said conlocks fixed l'elatlve t0 Q k ts, saidlocks being dyle ball, said two interior surfaces being mutually Capableof engaging 531d P to e l Sald condyle perpendicular and beingconstrained by the first balls fixed relatlve the fixed Posmon formed yand the second axes to remain tangential to said Sald first, Second,thlrd and fourth surfaces- 12. The device of claim 1 1 wherein saidlocks can be selectively positioned to give specific degrees of movement of each said condyle ball relative to each said

1. A dental articulator comprising: a lower frame; an upper frame; apair of condyle means positioned on said lower frame; a pair of socketmeans for receiving each of said condyle means respectively, each ofsaid socket means having three functional sides said first side beingslidably mounted to said upper frame; means for constraining said firstside to remain in a plane co-extensive with the plane of said firstfunctional side associated with the second of said pair of socket means,said second and said third functional sides being mutuallyperpendicular; means for constraining said second and third functionalsides to pivot relative to said upper frame about a first axis which isperpendicular to the plane of said upper frame and about a second axiswhich pivots about the first axis with said second and said third sidesof which is perpendicular to the first axis, each of said sets of threefunctional sides further defining an occludent position fixed relativeto said upper frame for said condyle means.
 2. The device is claim 1,wherein said dental articulator further comprises: means for selectivelyconstraining said upper frame to pivot about the fixed occludentposition.
 3. The device of claim 2, wherein said constraining meansincludes: pins rigidly fixed to said condyle means, the center line ofsaid pins being coincident with a center line passing through theoccludent position associated with each socket means; and two lockingmembers pivotally mounted to said upper frame, said locking membersincluding engaging means for pivotally locking said upper frame to saidpins.
 4. A dental articulator comprising: a lower frame; an upper frame;a pair of condyle means positioned on said lower frame; a pair of socketmeans for receiving each of said condyle means respectively, each ofsaid socket means being defined by three functional sides, said firstside being slidably mounted to said upper frame and being constrained toreamin in a plane co-extensive with the plane of said first functionalside associated with the second of said pair of socket means, saidsecond and said third functional sides being mutually perpendicular andbeing constrained to pivot relative to said upper frame about a firstaxis which is perpendicular to the plane of said upper frame and about asecond axis which pivots about the first axis with said second and saidthird sides and which is perpendicular to the first axis, each of saidsets of three functional sides further defining an occludent positIonfixed relative to said upper frame for said condyle means wherein eachof said socket means includes; a back member slidably mounted on saidupper frame, said back member having said first functional side; anangle member having said second and said third functional sides; andmeans for orienting said angle member with respect to said upper frame,said orientation means including a pivotal mount, said pivotal mountbeing pivotally located on said back member and having an access normalto the plane of the upper frame, a shaft, said shaft being fixed to saidpivotal mount and having a center line which is perpendicular to andintersects the access of said pivotal mount, said angle member beingpivotally mounted to said shaft.
 5. A dental articulator comprising; alower frame, an upper frame, means for joining said upper frame and saidlower frame whereby a fixed occludent position is provided between saidupper frame and said lower frame, means for selectively altering theorientation of said joining means to permit relative displacements ofsaid upper frame on said lower frame about two axes, the first of saidaxis being perpendicular to the plane of said upper frame, and thesecond of said axes being perpendicular to said first axis, withoutdisturbing the fixed occludent position, and means for selectivelyconstraining said upper frame to pivot about the fixed occludentposition.
 6. The device of claim 5, wherein said constraining meansincludes: pins rigidly fixed to said lower frame, said pins beingcentered on a center line passing through both joining means, and twolocking members pivotally mounted to said upper frame, said lockingmembers being pivotally lockable to said pins.
 7. The device of claim 5,wherein said means for joining said upper frame and said lower frameinclude a pair of condyle means and a pair of sockets, each of saidsockets being positioned to accept one of said condyle meansrespectively, and including a back member fixed to said frame and anangle member attached to said back member by said orientation means. 8.A dental articulator comprising; a lower frame, an upper frame, a meansfor joining said upper frame and said lower frame, whereby a fixedoccludent position is provided between said upper frame and said lowerframe, a means for selectively altering the orientation of said joiningmeans to permit relative displacements of said upper frame on said lowerframe in a range of directions without disturbing the fixed occludentposition, and means for selectively constraining said upper frame topivot about occludent position, wherein said orientation means includes;a pair of pivotal mounts located on said back member and having a pairof first axes normal to the plane of said upper frame, and a pair ofswivels located on said first pivotal mounts respectively, and havingsecond axes perpendicular to said pivotal mounts respectively, each ofsaid angle members being pivotally mounted to one of said swivelsrespectively.
 9. A dental articulator having a lower frame, an upperframe, and means for joining the upper and lower frames whereby a fixedoccludent position is provided between the upper and lower frames,wherein the improvement comprises: means for selectively altering theorientation of each socket to permit relative displacement of the upperframe on the lower frame about two axes, the first of said axes beingperpendicular to the plane of said upper frame, and the second of saidaxes being perpendicular to said first axes, without disturbing thefixed occludent position, and means for selectively constraining theupper frame to pivot about the fixed occludent position.
 10. A dentalarticulator comprising: a lower frame, an upper frame, a pair ofspherical condyle balls mounted to said lower frame, a pair of pins,each one of said pair of pins being rigidly fixed to said sphericalcondyle balls respeCtively, said pins being oriented to have centerlines coincident with a line passing through the centers of both of saidcondyle spheres, a pair of hooks pivotally mounted to said upper frame,each one of said hooks being associated with one of said pinsrespectively to selectively constrain said upper frame to rotate about aline passing through the centers of said spherical condyle balls, and apair of sockets mounted on said upper frame to cooperate with saidspherical condyle balls, said sockets being left and right handedrespectively, each of said sockets comprising, a back member fixed tosaid frame, said back member having a surface which receives saidcondyle ball, a swivel mount pivotally mounted to said back member andhaving a first axis normal to the plane of said upper frame, a mountingplate fixed to said swivel mount and perpendicular thereto, an anglemember pivotally fixed to said mounting plate about a second axisperpendicular to the first axis, said angle member having two interiorsurfaces for receiving said condyle ball, said two interior surfacesbeing mutually perpendicular and being constrained by the first and thesecond axes to remain tangential to said spherical condyle ball whensaid spherical condyle ball is positioned against said surface of saidback member.
 11. A condyle ball and socket joint comprising: a pair ofcondyle balls; a pair of sockets capable of receiving said condyleballs; said sockets being left and right handed respectively, each ofsaid sockets comprising, a mounting base, said mounting base having afirst surface to receive said condyle ball, a swivel mount, said swivelmount being pivotally mounted to said mounting base about a first axiswhich is parallel to said first surface, said swivel mount having asecond surface to receive said condyle ball, an angle member, said anglemember being pivotally mounted to said swivel mount about a second axisperpendicular to said first axis, said angle member having a third andfourth surface to receive said condyle ball; said first, second, thirdand fourth surfaces forming a fixed position for said condyle ballirrespective of the positions of said swivel mount and said angle memberabout the first and second axis; a pair of pins, each one of said pinsbeing rigidly fixed to one of said condyle balls; and locks fixedrelative to said sockets, said locks being capable of engaging said pinsto retain said condyle balls fixed relative to the fixed position formedby said first, second, third and fourth surfaces.
 12. The device ofclaim 11 wherein said locks can be selectively positioned to givespecific degrees of movement of each said condyle ball relative to eachsaid socket.